Tubeless patches always to hand

If you puncture your tubeless tyre in a marathon race or on tour, you're out of luck. Smaller leaks and punctures are plugged by the tubeless milk while you are still riding. Holes that are so big that even the latex liquid can no longer seal them usually mean a longer forced break: tyre down (usually with milk mess), unscrew valve, tube in, tyre back on, inflate and continue.

Or you can patch the hole from the outside without removing the wheel using a special patch rubber strip (plug), affectionately known at Maxalami as a "racing sausage". These are threaded into the hole and join together to form a plug that can reliably seal even large holes. We found out just how well by comparing six repair solutions for tubeless tyres in BIKE 5/2018 tested.

The Maxalami Twister

Maxalami's latest achievement is the Twister, a tool with which the patch can always be stowed on the bike ready to hand. The handlebar ends or crankshafts are ideal for this purpose. The Twister is loaded with a plug and then clamped in the tube using an expanding cone. The practical little helper is similar to the Sahmurai Sword, which we have already presented hereweighs 15 grams and costs 28.90 euros >> e.g. available from Rosebikes for 23 euros.

The Maxalami K-13 multi-tool in a practical check

Maxalami has packed the insertion tool into a multi-tool so that no special tools for the tubeless patches have to be carried on the bike or in the rucksack. A good idea! The tool is waiting to be used in the supplied neoprene sleeve (loaded with a plug, of course).

An end stop prevents the threading aid from turning backwards - important, as the rubber plugs sometimes have to be pushed into the tyre with a lot of force. However, the stop on our test sample was somewhat sharp-edged and got caught in the cover, gloves and jersey. Otherwise, the quality of the tools made from CroMo steel is fully acceptable.

The most important spanners are included for quick repairs on the go. The only thing we missed was a Phillips screwdriver, which would round off the basic kit. After all, the new Shimano derailleurs still have adjustment screws with the time-honoured Phillips screw head.

The functions

• Insertion aid for Maxalami tubeless patches
• Tyre lever
• Hexagon socket 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6
• Hexagon socket 8 as bit
• Torx T25
• 2 x spoke spanner (3.45 and 3.23)
• Bottle opener

Weight: 95 grams (tool) plus 10 grams for neoprene sleeve and two 3.5 x 50 mm Maxalamis
Price: 29,90 Euro >> e.g. available at Rosebikes

Also available as K-22 with full equipment for 54,95 Euro >> e.g. at Rosebikes currently for 35 euros.

In BIKE 5/2018, we compared six different tubeless patching methods. How do the "racing sausages" from Maxalami fare against the rubber plug competition from Sahmurai Sword, Dynaplug and Genuie Innovation? And how do the Vittoria Pitstop puncture spray or the universal patches from Tip Top compare? Find out the exciting results in BIKE 5/2018.